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1957 Map of Trona

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Trona
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1976
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1976

About this map

Searles Lake and its surrounding mineral wealth anchor this mid-century survey of the California desert. The industrial infrastructure of the Trona RR and the settlements of Trona and Argus reveal the era's reliance on saline extraction. Further south, the growth of Ridgecrest and China Lake reflects the significant footprint of the Us Naval Weapons Center, while the Fort Irwin Military Reservation dominates the eastern interior.

Mineral prospecting history is etched across the Panamint Range and Argus Range through dozens of remote claims like the Ashford Mine and Standard Mine. Transportation corridors such as the Tonopah & Tidewater RR and Us 395 connect these isolated worksites to the larger Mojave landscape. From the depths of Death Valley to the busy aviation facilities at Boron Air Force Station, the map captures a period of intense military and industrial utility in the high desert.